Mammoth Lakes

Mammoth Lakes is a town in Mono County, California, the county's only incorporated community. It is located northwest of Mount Morrison, at an elevation of. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 8,234, reflecting an increase of 1,141 from the 7,093 counted in the 2000 Census.HistoryThe first people to inhabit the vicinity of Mammoth Lakes was the Mono people. Evidence declares that they have been living in the area for thousands of years. They settled in the valley but walked to other places when trading with different tribes.The European history of Mammoth Lakes started in 1877, when four prospectors staked a claim on Mineral Hill, south of the current town, along Old Mammoth Road. In 1878, the Mammoth Mining Company was organized to mine Mineral Hill, which caused a gold rush. By the end of 1878, 1500 people settled in the mining camp called Mammoth City. By 1880, the company had shut down, and by 1888, the population declined to less than 10 people. By the early 1900s, the town of Mammoth was informally established near Mammoth Creek. The economics of the original town was based on logging and tourism. The first post office at Mammoth Lakes opened in 1923.In 2004, the Mammoth Ski Museum opened in town. The museum featured many vintage artifacts, photographs, and posters. A movie documenting the life of the founder of the ski resort (Dave McCoy) and those of early famous skiers in the area is shown. In 2010, photographs taken by Dave McCoy were featured in an exhibit at the museum.